Clamp-Type Garment Hanger

ABSTRACT

A clamp-type garment hanger comprises a main body, a hook, and two clamps. The hook is connected to an upper side of the main body while the clamps are provided at two ends of the main body for clamping and holding an article. Each clamp includes a first jaw and a second jaw that are connected with each other. The first jaw and the second jaw are provided with opposite inner griping surfaces. The first jaw is provided with an arm protruded from the inner griping surface thereof and the arm is disposed with a step part on one side thereof. The second jaw is provided with a hole and an engaging protrusion is disposed at one peripheral side of the hole on the inner griping surface of the second jaw. When the clamp is closed, a tight engagement between the first and second jaws can be formed by inserting the arm into the hole to have the engaging protrusion and the step part engaged with each other for holding an article.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED DOCUMENTS

The present invention is a continuation in part (GP) to a U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/071,159 entitled “Garment Hanger” filed on Feb. 15, 2008.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a garment hanger, and more particularly, to a clamp-type garment hanger integrally formed with two clamps at two ends thereof to save the manufacturing cost and to hold quickly and release a piece of clothes quickly and easily.

2. Description of the Prior Art

There are various garment hangers available in the market. Referring to FIG. 7, a conventional garment hanger a1 sold in market mainly includes a main body a10 and a hook a20 connected to the main body a10. The main body a11) includes a central portion a11, a pair of shoulder portions a12, a12′, and two clamping members a13 and a13′ provided on the shoulder portions a12, a12′ respectively. Hangers with such a structure could support the shoulders of a garment by the shoulder portions a12, a12′ to keep the garment flat and smooth or could hold pants or towels by using the clamping members a13 and a13′ to prevent the pants or towels from falling off from the hanger.

There are various kinds of clamping members nowadays and these clamping members are generally strong elastic clamps having two opposite clamping arms. The clamping arms can be engaged with each other for holding an article, such as a piece of clothes. Although garment hangers having these clamping members can be used to hold clothes, there still exist two disadvantages. First, different components or materials are needed to manufacture such clamping members and the cost will increase correspondingly. Second, the assembling process of the clamping members is more complicated and time-consuming, so that it is hard to improve the efficiency and the productivity of manufacturing such garment hangers.

In view of this, there is a need to improve a conventional garment hanger to lower the manufacturing cost and to make clothes quick and easy to be held firmly or released. The inventor had the motive to study and develop the present invention after hard research.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a clamp-type garment hanger integrally formed with two clamps at two ends thereof for clamping and holding an article quickly, easily, and firmly.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a clamp-type garment hanger having clamps disposed with step parts, so that different tight degrees of clamping can be provided when clothes with different thickness are to be held.

To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a clamp-type garment hanger comprising a main body, a hook, and two clamps. The hook is connected to an upper side of the main body while the clamps are provided at two ends of the main body for clamping and holding an article. Each clamp includes a first jaw and a second jaw that are connected with each other and provided with opposite inner griping surfaces respectively. The first jaw is provided with an arm on the inner griping surface thereof and the arm is disposed with a step part on one side thereof. The second jaw is provided with a hole and an engaging protrusion is disposed at one peripheral side of the hole on the inner griping surface of the second jaw. When the clamp is closed, a tight engagement between the first and second jaws can be established by inserting the arm into the hole to have the engaging protrusion and the step part engaged with each other.

The following detailed description, given by way of examples or embodiments, will best be understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the first embodiment according to the present invention where clamps are open.

FIG. 3A shows a side view of a clamp in the first embodiment according to the present invention where the clamp is open.

FIG. 3B shows a side view of the clamp in the first embodiment according to the present invention where the clamp is closed.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the clamp in the first embodiment according to the present invention where the clamp is closed.

FIG. 5 shows a using state diagram of the first embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a conventional garment hanger.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Refer to FIGS. 1-4 showing a first embodiment of a clamp-type garment hanger of the present invention. The clamp-type garment hanger comprises a main body 1, a hook 20, and two clamps 3. The hook 20 is connected to an upper side of the main body 1 while the clamps 3 are provided at two ends of the main body 1 respectively. Besides, the clamps 3 and the hook 20 are integrally formed with the main body 1 by known plastic injection molding technique.

Each clamp 3 includes a first jaw 31 and a second jaw 32 that are connected with each other. The first jaw 31 and the second jaw 32 are provided with opposite inner griping surfaces 313, 323. In practice, the first jaw 31 and the second jaw 32 of the clamp 3 are made of plastic material with suitable resilience or elasticity and integrally produced by using conventional methods, such as injection molding, plastic molding or pressure molding. Besides, the first jaw 31 and the second jaw 32 are connected and hinged together by a fold 33.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first jaw 31 is provided with an arm 4 that protrudes from the inner griping surfaces 313 of the first jaw 31. The arm 4 is in L shape and includes an extension part 42 at its terminal end and a step part 40 on the bottom thereof. The second jaw 32 is provided with a hole 5. An engaging protrusion 50 is disposed at one peripheral side of the hole 5 on the inner griping surface 323 of the second jaw 32. After the arm 4 is inserted through the hole 5, a tight engagement between the first and second jaws 31, 32 can be established through the engagement between the step part 40 of the arm 4 and the engaging protrusion 50 to hold an article.

In practice, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, when users want to hang a piece of clothes on the clamp-type garment hanger, they can make the engaging protrusion 50 engaged with the step part 40 of the arm 4 after inserting the arm 4 of the first jaw 31 into the hole 5 of the second jaw 32 to have the first jaw 31 and the second jaw 32 engaged together. As illustrated in above figures, the step part 40 includes three steps 402. Users can determine the degree of clamping tightness of the clamp 3 by engaging the engaging protrusion 50 with different steps 402 of the step part 40. Therefore, optimal clamping tightness of the clamp 3 can be provided according to the thickness of a piece of clothes to be hanged.

Moreover, a longitudinal rib 314, 324 is provided on each of the inner griping surfaces 313, 323 of the first and the second jaws 31, 32. Consequently, the strength of the clamp 3 can be enhanced.

When the clamp 3 is closed, the extension part 42 of the arm 4 will slightly protrude out of the hole 5 as shown in FIGS. 3B and 4. If users want to take clothes off the clamp 3, they can have the step part 40 and the engaging protrusion 50 detached with each other by exerting pressure onto the extension part 42 along the direction as indicated by the arrow. Thereby, the clamp is open and clothes can be taken away.

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 5, the first and the second jaws 31, 32 are provided with a ridge 311, 321 respectively at their terminal ends toward the inner griping surfaces 313, 323 thereof. When the clamp 3 is closed, a piece of clothes can be held between two ridges 311, 321. Besides, the ridges 311, 321 are formed with a step structure respectively at their terminal ends and the step structures of the ridges 311, 321 are engageable with each other.

FIG. 6 illustrates a second embodiment of a clamp-type garment hanger according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the main body 1 is in detachable connection with the hook 6 by the way of engagement or screwing. Besides, the material of the hook 6 is preferably metal or other kinds of durable material.

Therefore, the present invention has following advantages:

-   1. It is easy and convenient to use the clamps disposed at the     clamp-type garment hanger to hold or release clothes. -   2. The clamp-type garment hanger according to the present invention     is structurally simple and can be integrally manufactured by using     conventional methods, such as injection molding, plastic molding or     pressure molding. Such a structure can facilitate manufacturing     process, save time and labor, reduce costs, and provide products     with good quality. -   3. By utilizing the step part of the first jaw together with the     engaging protrusion of the second jaw of the clamp-type garment     hanger according to the present invention, optimal clamping     tightness can be provided according to the thickness of clothes.

Accordingly, as disclosed in the above description and attached drawings, the present invention can provide a clamp-type garment hanger with a simple structure, simplified manufacturing process and lower manufacturing cost, and is suitable for holding clothes with different thickness. It is new and can be put into industrial use.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, many modifications and variations may be made by those skilled in the art from the teachings disclosed hereinabove. Therefore, it should be understood that any modification and variation equivalent to the spirit of the present invention be regarded to fall into the scope defined by the appended claims. 

1. A clamp-type garment hanger, comprising: a main body; a hook connected to an upper side of the main body; and two clamps provided respectively at two ends of the main body, where each clamp includes a first jaw and a second jaw that are connected with each other and provided with opposite inner griping surfaces respectively; wherein the first jaw is provided with an arm on the inner griping surface thereof and the arm is disposed with a step part on one side thereof while the second jaw is provided with a hole and an engaging protrusion is disposed at one peripheral side of the hole on the inner griping surface of the second jaw; whereby, when the clamp is closed, a tight engagement between the first and second jaws can be formed by inserting the arm into the hole to have the engaging protrusion and the step part engaged with each other.
 2. The clamp-type garment hanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arm is in L shape and further includes an extension part at its terminal end.
 3. The clamp-type garment hanger as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first and the second jaws are provided with a ridge respectively on the inner griping surfaces thereof for clamping and holding an article when the clamp is closed.
 4. The clamp-type garment hanger as claimed in claim 3, wherein the ridges of two jaws are further provided with a step structure respectively for engagement with each other.
 5. The clamp-type garment hanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step part further includes at least a step.
 6. A clamp-type garment hanger comprising: a main body; a hook connected to an upper side of the main body; and two clamps provided respectively at two ends of the main body, where each clamp includes a first jaw and a second jaw that are connected with each other and provided with opposite inner griping surfaces respectively, where the first and the second jaws are provided with a ridge respectively on the inner griping surfaces thereof for clamping and holding an article when the clamp is closed; wherein the first jaw is provided with an arm on the inner griping surface thereof and the arm is disposed with a step part on one side thereof while the second jaw is provided with a hole and an engaging protrusion is disposed at one peripheral side of the hole on the inner griping surface of the second jaw; whereby, when the clamp is closed, a tight engagement between the first and second jaws can be formed by inserting the arm into the hole to have the engaging protrusion and the step part engaged with each other.
 7. The clamp-type garment hanger as claimed in claim 6, wherein the ridges of two jaws are further provided with a step structure respectively for connection with each other.
 8. The clamp-type garment hanger as claimed in claim 7, wherein the ridges are disposed at the free ends of the first and the second jaws.
 9. The clamp-type garment hanger as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step part her includes at least a step. 